Digging his Own Grave
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: Ron is very jealous of Harry, so jealous that he tries to make him ill. Unfortunately, he succeeds but with what consequences for himself? Set in third year. Completely AU, Snape slightly OOC, evil!Ron. Sick!Harry. Originally meant as a oneshot.
1. Ron

**Digging his Own Grave**

**~ by Healer Pomfrey ~  
**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

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**Don't read if you're a fan of Ronald Weasley!**_  
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Ron angrily kicked the snow out of his way, glaring at Hermione and Harry, who, unaware of his bad mood, busied themselves building an enlarged snow statue of Crookshanks. '_They invited you to help_,' the annoying voice at the back of his head told him, but Ron merely growled in frustration and unobtrusively pulled his wand. '_Why do they always get along well? Hermione only fights with me. Harry gets everything he wants, all the fame, the money and whatever. Does he also have to take Hermione from me?_' he thought as he pointed his wand at Harry. Last summer before Quidditch practice on a very hot summer day, Hermione had patiently taught Harry a cooling charm, and Ron still remembered the incantation. '_We'll see if it also works if the temperature is ten degrees below freezing point_,' he thought grimly as he repeated the charm another time. While he walked over the grounds, looking at the other students' work, he contentedly observed how his supposed to be best friend seemed to become uncomfortable in the cold winter air. '_With a bit of luck he gets sick and will be sent home to his relatives_,' he thought in anticipation as he observed his twin brothers build a statue of their Head of House and charm it to change into a cat and back.

In fact, shortly before the winter holidays of their third Hogwarts year, the news had spread that huge parts of Hogwarts had to be renovated, and only the four Houses had remained open over the holidays. The Great Hall, the hospital wing, the library and all the classrooms were being renovated, so that the remaining students had to stay in their Houses, and the only other accessible place were the grounds. They even had to take their meals in their House together with their House mates and their Head of House. Just before the beginning of the snowman contest, Ron had heard that three Hufflepuff students had been sent home with the flu, because there was no way to quarantine anyone at Hogwarts and Madam Pomfrey had been evacuated to St. Mungo's for the time being.

Inwardly groaning in exasperation, Ron listened as the Headmaster awarded the first prize to his twin brothers and the second prize to Hermione and Harry, promising to take the four Gryffindor students to Hogsmeade one day during the next week, so that they could buy sweets from their prizes, both vouchers from Honeydukes. '_Why is it always them?_' Ron thought, so deeply absorbed in his jealousy that he forgot that Hermione and Harry as well as Fred and George had invited him to help.

Before the few students, who had remained at Hogwarts over the holidays, headed inside to their common rooms, they decided to meet again on the grounds for a huge snowball fight on the next day, which was Christmas Eve.

'_This is fun_,' Ron thought as he cast more freezing spells at Harry, who seemed unable to warm up, even in front of the fireplace. '_He is your best friend_,' the voice at the back of his head reminded him every now and then, but Ron used to counter, '_Why does he always exclude me and take everything from me? Why did he have to save Ginny last school year? Why is he the one sitting on the sofa next to Hermione? Why…?_' He sighed in exasperation as he shifted in his seat, glancing at the twins, who had put their heads together and were obviously discussing a prank. No one else had remained in Gryffindor over Christmas, and he felt very lonely.

"Harry, are you feeling all right? You don't look well," Hermione suddenly asked in apparent concern.

"I'm fine. I just feel so cold, and my head hurts a bit. I just hope I won't get sick, because I'd rather spend my holidays in the forbidden forest than with my relatives," Harry replied softly, letting out a few sneezes.

From the corners of his eyes, Ron angrily observed how Hermione gently placed the back of her hand on Harry's forehead and motioned for him to follow her into his dormitory. "Let me check on you. If it's only a cold, they won't send you home. Professor McGonagall would merely give you a Pepperup potion and send you to bed, nothing more," he heard the girl speak to Harry in a soothing voice.

He pondered if he should follow his friends but decided to suppress his curiosity and wait until at least Hermione would return to the common room. However, an hour later, the girl had yet to come back, and Ron decided to head to the dormitory. '_It's a reasonable time to go to bed anyway_,' he mused. When he entered the dormitory, he saw that Harry seemed to be fast asleep in his bed, while Hermione sat on the edge of the bed, gently bathing his face with a cold towel.

"Ron, Harry is sick," she informed him. "He already felt a bit unwell last night, but after the snowman building contest today he seems to really have a bad cold."

"Why doesn't he go to McGonagall?" Ron asked, shrugging.

"Because he is afraid to be sent back to his relatives; he's running a low grade fever, and as long as it doesn't go up I think he'll be all right. Oh well, now that you're here, I'll go back to my own dormitory. All right? Will you check on him later on?"

"Okay," Ron grudgingly agreed, mumbling something about "fussy busybodies" as the girl left the room. '_I hope they'll send him home, so that I can have Hermione's attention for once_,' he thought hatefully as he lay down in his own bed.

In the morning, Ron woke up to hushed voices coming from Harry's bed. He cracked his eyes open and saw Hermione sitting on the edge of the bed coaxing a thermometer into the boy's mouth, before she continued to speak with him in a soft voice. Finally pulling the Muggle device out, she said firmly, "Harry, thirty-eight degrees in the morning is quite high. Let me call Professor McGonagall."

"No!" Harry replied, apparently upset. "I'm fine, and at least here it's warm now. If I have to run away from the Dursleys, it'll be much colder. Now I'm going to stay in bed during breakfast, but wake me up in time for the snowball fight, please."

Shaking her head in obvious exasperation, Hermione left the dormitory, and Ron quickly scrambled out of bed, following the girl down to the common room, where his twin brothers were already eating breakfast with apparent gusto. '_Maybe I can speak with her. I won't even say anything about Crookshanks and Scabbers_,' Ron mused; however, Hermione was deeply engrossed discussing Harry being under the weather and the upcoming snowball fight with the twins.

"Ronniekins, is everything all right?"

"You're so quiet as if you were planning a prank!"

Ron merely glared at the twins, who then began to cheer, "Well, let's have a fantastic snowball fight and show the other Houses that Gryffindor can win anything, not only Quidditch."

"You lost your last match because Harry fell from his broom," Ron reminded them sharply.

"Ron, you know as well as everyone else that they only lost because Harry was attacked by the Dementors," Hermione chided him, once more shaking her head as she retreated to the boys' dormitory to fetch Harry for the snowball fight.

Like the students had decided the previous day, the four Houses fought the snowball fight against each other. Ron grudgingly helped his brothers and friends until he was hit on his nose by a huge snowball and saw his four House mates laugh.

'_Why is it always me?_' he thought angrily and unobtrusively gathered some ice from the edge of the nearby lake. Wrapping the ice into snow, he threw the snowball at Harry, hitting the boy in the head full force.

"Ouch; that hurt," he heard Harry mumble, causing Hermione to quickly steady him.

This did not go unnoticed by the Gryffindor Head, who was watching the match together with her colleagues, and the Scottish lioness stepped in front of Harry.

'_This is my chance_,' Ron thought and cast another freezing charm at the other boy, causing him to shiver violently in front of the teacher.

"Mr. Potter, you're ill," McGonagall stated firmly as she took off her glove and quickly felt her little lion cub's forehead. "Follow me into the dormitory for a moment."

While the teacher headed inside together with Harry and Hermione, Professor Snape stepped in front of Ron. "Mr. Weasley," he said in his coldest baritone voice, "show me your wand."

"No. Why would I?" Ron replied stubbornly, pulling the twins' attention to him and the professor.

"Because I say so," Snape replied icily, holding out his hand.

"You better do what he says…"

"… We wouldn't want him to take House points," his brothers instructed him warningly.

Ron shot a glare at the twins and handed his wand to the professor, who quickly pointed his own wand at the wood, uttering an incantation, before he returned the wand, glaring at Ron. Just at this moment, Professor McGonagall came back in a swift speed and headed straight to the Potions Master.

"Severus, I need you in Gryffindor. Mr. Potter has a fever of nearly forty degrees."

The Slytherin Head raised an eyebrow at Ron. "Mr. Weasley, would Mr. Potter's illness have anything to do with the dozen cooling and freezing spells you cast recently?"

"You WHAT?" McGonagall asked incredulously. "I thought Mr. Potter was your best friend? Anyway, Severus and Mr. Weasley, come with me please."

Ron grudgingly followed the two teachers into his dormitory and sat on his own bed, while Hermione and her Head of House were standing next to Harry's bed and Professor Snape waved his wand at Harry.

"At first it must have been a simple cold, but due to neglect and a dozen cooling and freezing spells it has turned into pneumonia. These spells are harmless but very dangerous if cast on a sick person," the Potions Master explained, before he called his house-elf and instructed him to bring two potions, which he made Harry drink.

"Spells?" Hermione mouthed, looking questioningly at her Head of House.

However, Snape completely ignored her question and handed her a phial. "A preventive potion," he stated in an even voice, before he turned to Harry. "Mr. Potter, absolute bed rest until I tell you otherwise. Professor McGonagall and I will take turns looking after you. Mr. Weasley, you will move into the Slytherin third year boys' dormitory for the rest of the holidays, since we don't have another room to quarantine Mr. Potter."

"Why don't you just send Harry home then?" Ron asked stubbornly.

"Because I am the one who makes the decisions here, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall replied sternly. "He would be in danger with Mr. Black on the loose, and he is in dire need of magical medical treatment, which he can receive from Professor Snape."

"It also has the advantage for you that it's nearer to the Potions classroom, where you will serve detention eight hours a day until Mr. Potter is completely recovered. Follow me, Weasley," Snape growled and strode ahead.

"Professor McGonagall, may I please stay here and look after Harry?" Ron heard Hermione ask in a soft voice as he grudgingly followed the Slytherin Head out of the dormitory. '_So much about a quiet Christmas with my brothers and my friends_,' he thought, wondering why everything always hit him.

**The End (?)**

_**Due to the huge resonance to this short story, I'm considering to continue it for a bit more. So maybe...**_

**_tbc... (?)_  
**


	2. Fred and George

**Digging his Own Grave**

**~ by Healer Pomfrey ~  
**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

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Harry slowly felt the white mist around his head clear up as the potions took effect. He blinked, noticing that Hermione and Professor McGonagall were standing a few metres away, talking in hushed voices, but his ears were still strangely clogged up, so that he couldn't hear what they were saying.

"What happened?" he asked quietly. "Snape…"

"Harry, I thought you had fallen asleep," Hermione said softly and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Are you feeling better, Harry?" McGonagall asked gently. The edges of her mouth pulled up to a slight smile as she looked down on him.

"Much better," Harry replied in confusion, "but I don't understand. What was that with Snape and Ron? Did he take Ron to Slytherin, or was that only my imagination? I think I'm delirious." He thoughtfully rubbed his forehead.

"Professor Snape and I decided that Mr. Weasley should stay in the Slytherin dormitory for the time being, so that you can get some rest," McGonagall informed him firmly. "Ms. Granger will be allowed to visit."

"You won't send me to the Dursleys?" Harry enquired in a barely audible voice, glancing anxiously at the professor.

"No, we won't, and now try to sleep for a while," the professor instructed him. "I'll be back later."

Mere seconds later, Harry succumbed to the potions and drifted off to a much needed Healing sleep.

"Apparently, he was too bad off to understand what happened. Maybe we shouldn't tell him until his condition has improved greatly," Hermione suggested, glancing at her Head of House.

"That would be the best. Now I'll have to speak with Mr. Weasley's brothers," McGonagall replied and headed for the door, which was opened just before she could reach it.

"Professor…"

"Can you tell us what happened to our brother?"

"We heard some rumour that he was going to reside in Slytherin during the holidays," the twins queried.

The professor motioned for the twins to follow here into the common room and quietly filled them in on what had happened.

"Oh no!" the twins exclaimed simultaneously, looking at their Head of House in shock.

"We always knew that he was a jealous little git…"

"… but Harry was his best friend!"

"If it was any other student, I'd have expelled him on the spot, but I know your parents so well…" McGonagall slowly trailed off.

"Gred, don't you think it's time…"

"… to reveal to the professor…"

"… our Animagus forms," the twins whispered, before they said simultaneously, "We're fly Animagi, and we're going to play flies on the wall of the Slytherin common room for a few days."

"You managed the Animagus transformation?" McGonagall asked in disbelief, looking sternly at the twins.

Instants later, her little lions began to shrink until two small flies were sitting on the sofa. "One hundred points each to Gryffindor for a very advanced Transformation. Since when have you been able to transform?"

The twins chuckled. "In fact, we tried to become Animagi when we were ten in order to spy on our brother Percy. We already managed to transform before we came to Hogwarts."

"Very impressive, Messrs. Weasley," McGonagall commended the boys, and a rare smile played on her lips. "Well, have fun spying on your younger brother, but try to not get into trouble. I expect you to be back here by curfew at the latest," she instructed the twins and left the common room.

Fred thoughtfully looked at his twin. "Do you have an idea how we can get into the Slytherin common room?"

"How about asking Dobby, Harry's elf friend to take us there? He should be able to get in," George replied slowly.

Fred agreed and called the elf, who appeared with a pop and bowed deeply. "Yes, Fred and George Weasley, good friends of the great Harry Potter, I can take you into the Slytherin common room." Dobby held out his right hand and invited the twins to transform and step on the back of his hand. With a pop, the twins found themselves in an unknown room, which from the colours seemed to be the Slytherin common room.

"Call Dobby if you need to be taken back," the small elf whispered, and the twins gratefully left his hand and made themselves comfortable on top of a huge portrait of Salazar Slytherin that was decorating the wall above the fireplace.

They looked around curiously. The room, even if in Slytherin colours, looked very comfortable. It was equipped with several groups of old sofas and seemed to be at least as cosy as their own common room. Ron was sitting alone in one corner of the room, reading what seemed to be an older copy of Quidditch Quarterly. In one of the other corners, three boys and one girl were playing Wizard's Chess. One of the boys and the girl were first years, and the twins didn't even know their names; however, the oldest boy was a sixth year, and the twins knew that his father was a Death Eater. The last boy was Ben, a very nice boy of their own year. The twins often spoke with Ben and got along very well with their Slytherin classmate.

"He is so stupid. Why doesn't he play with them?" one fly mumbled to the other. "I'm sure Ben would be kind enough to invite him."

"Because he absolutely detests the Slytherins. Serves him right to have to stay here…"

"… after what he did to Harrykins."

All of a sudden, the Slytherin Head of House entered the room through a hidden side door. "It's dinnertime," the professor stated and waved his wand at one of the sofa groups, transforming the furniture into a dining table with six chairs around it.

The twins noticed that they were slowly getting hungry as well as they looked at the delicacies that popped up on the table with a flick of the professor's wand. However, in front of Ron, a bowl with chicken broth appeared. The twins chuckled as they observed their younger brother frown and turn to the professor with an angry expression on his face.

"Why do I get soup?" he queried, sounding very upset. "It's Christmas Eve. I want what everyone else has, or better yet, let me go back to Gryffindor."

"No Mr. Weasley; it's Christmas Eve in Gryffindor as well, and I just came back from force feeding your best friend a few spoonfuls of chicken broth. Do you know what the difference is?"

Ron merely glared at the Potions Master, who sneered, "That it's not his fault that he can't stomach anything else. However, it's your fault and therefore, you will get exactly the same meals as Mr. Potter."

Mumbling something incoherent, Ron jumped up from his seat and fled the room. While the four Slytherin students snickered as they observed him run towards the dormitory, Snape showed a blank face and continued to eat his meal.

"Professor, what exactly happened?" Ben suddenly asked.

Snape quickly informed his students, before he instructed Ben to go and fetch Ron from the dormitory. "He should not think that he'll get away with this behaviour," he said, smirking.

A few minutes later, Ron hesitantly returned to the common room. "What?" he asked, looking at the professor.

"Mr. Weasley, let me assure you that you are close to being expelled," the Potions Master drawled. "It is merely out of pity towards your mother that Professor McGonagall refrained from doing so and instead asked me to deal with you. Therefore, I am not inclined to take points from Gryffindor for your insolence. Instead, we're going to begin with your detention right away. Now eat your soup before I make you eat, and then follow me into my office."

"I hope he's not going to poison Ron," one of the flies whispered to the other.

"I don't think he will, although I have to agree that Snape looks as if something was off with the soup," the twin fly agreed. "Anyway, we have to fly onto his robes, so that we can accompany them to his office."

_tbc..._

_Thank you so much for your kind comments that made me continue my story, which was originally intended as a oneshot._


	3. Professor Snape

**Digging his Own Grave**

**~ by Healer Pomfrey ~  
**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

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* * *

When the Potions Master strode ahead to his office with the Gryffindor third year in tow, he didn't notice the two flies that were clinging to his billowing robes, feeling as if they were riding a roller coaster. He motioned for the boy to sit behind his desk and took his usual seat, quietly eyeing the boy with an expressionless face for a short moment.

In the meantime, the twins hurriedly left their spots on the Professor's shoulder and made themselves comfortable on the nearby bookshelf.

"Mr. Weasley," Snape finally began to speak, "tell me why you wanted to make Mr. Potter ill."

"I hoped that Professor McGonagall would send him back to his relatives," Ron replied right away, before a shocked expression spread over his face.

"And why is that?" the Potions Master queried.

"Because he takes everything from me. It's always Harry who gets all the attention. Hermione is always friendly with him, while she only fights with me, he was the one who fought the basilisk and rescued my sister, he is the one who plays on the Quidditch team. Even my brothers talk more with him than with me."

"He is your best friend, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"Do you think he would like to go home over the holidays?"

"No. His relatives hate and abuse him. For him, Hogwarts is his home."

Snape raised an eyebrow as he asked, "And why would you think that he is abused?"

"They hardly feed him, they lock him in, and I'm sure that his uncle beats him. But Harry doesn't tell me the truth. He doesn't trust me enough." He angrily stopped himself and asked, "How do you make me say things like that? That's absolutely unfair. I will…"

The professor smirked. "I know that you're a complete dunderhead at Potions, but maybe you have heard of Veritaserum? Oh well, I'll give you the antidote now." He conjured a small glass with cold water and pulled a small phial out of his robe pocket, of which he added one drop to the liquid, before he placed the glass in front of the student.

"Are you going to poison me?" Ron asked stubbornly, pushing the glass away.

"I don't care if you take the antidote or not. However, if you decide not to risk being poisoned by me, I'll be able to ask you further questions, and you might feel slightly incapacitated due to the after effects of the Veritaserum. If you're done with your decision, you may begin with your task." The Professor let out a long sigh. "Mr. Weasley, from what you have told me it is evident that your insufferable behaviour results from extreme jealousy and not from an evil character. Therefore, I will try to help you." He pushed a small pile of parchments and a quill towards the student. "Write an essay about your life and that of Harry Potter and explain in detail, in which points your lives differ from each other. This does not only mean your stay here at Hogwarts but also includes your home life and your families."

"What does that have to do with you?" Ron shouted, getting more and more upset by the professor's words. "I will not share anything private with you, and I'm sure Harry doesn't want that either."

'_Harry!_' Severus remembered and glanced at his wrist watch. "Weasley, if you don't want me to help you, then for God's sake see it as punishment and already begin to write your essay. I'll leave you for a few minutes, because I have to go and check on Mr. Potter." He hurriedly stood from his chair and called his house-elf. "Cicero, please keep an eye on Mr. Weasley, while he writes an essay for me. I'll be back in about twenty minutes."

"Of course Master Severus," Cicero replied and bowed slightly.

The twins observed from their shelf how the Potions Master stepped into the fireplace, shouting, "Gryffindor common room."

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Severus strode into the third year boys' dormitory, where Hermione and her Head of House were feverishly trying to wake Harry from what seemed to be a feverish nightmare.

"Severus, can you help him?" McGonagall asked, sounding desperate. "He is delirious, but we can't wake him up. He keeps begging his uncle not to hurt him."

"That matches with the information I received from Mr. Weasley," Severus replied calmly. "Mr. Potter seems to be abused by his relatives." He leaned over the boy. "Mr. Potter? Harry? Can you hear me?"

"No Uncle, please, I promise to be good," Harry mumbled, trying to curl up tighter under his covers.

The Potions Master pointed his wand at the boy's head, before he pulled a small phial out of his robe pockets and spelled the content straight into the boy's system. Then he once again tried to address the sick boy.

"Pfessor Snape?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Exactly," Severus replied in a voice that held no malice. "You are safe at Hogwarts, and your uncle won't be able to do anything to you…"

Harry's half-open, glassy eyes widened in shock. "My uncle? Sorry sir, I don't understand," Harry mumbled, throwing the teacher a bleary look.

"We're going to speak about your so-called family when you're back to health," Severus said in a soft voice and waved his wand over the boy, before he spelled another potion into Harry's stomach.

"Thank you, sir," Harry said gratefully. "This is much better."

"This is only temporary. You'll feel better until the potions wear off again. It'll take some time before your condition will improve," Severus replied, watching as the child succumbed to the potions and drifted off into a much quieter sleep. "Does he know what happened?" he queried, turning to the two witches, who had been observing their interaction with amazement.

"No, we thought it was better not to tell him until he is better," Hermione informed him, and the Potions Master nodded his consent.

"That might be better," he said thoughtfully. "Mr. Weasley seems to have acted out of jealousy. I questioned him under Veritaserum in order to be sure. I'm going to try to help him overcome his jealousy; although he is so stubborn that I'm not sure if it'll work."

"Thank you, Severus," McGonagall said warmly. "I really appreciate your support."

Severus slightly inclined his head. "I'll be back to check on him again in two hours."

"We'll be here. Severus, I suggest having our Christmas Eve tea in the Gryffindor common room instead of Albus' office."

"If you contact the others. I need to go back and make sure that Weasley and Cicero don't kill each other, especially as Weasley didn't trust me enough to take the antidote to the Veritaserum. He might be feeling very unwell by now."

"Ron is so stupid," Hermione groaned, rolling her eyes.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

A few minutes later, Severus swept behind his desk and unobtrusively waved his wand at the phial with the antidote that was still untouched on the desk. A green faced Ron, who had been leaning over a bucket when the Potions Master strode by, suddenly sighed in relief and straightened in his seat.

"I won't write this stupid essay," he spoke up stubbornly, causing the professor to quirk an eyebrow.

"Well, if you're sure, Mr. Weasley," Severus replied in a bored voice. "Follow me then." He led the boy into the Potions classroom, where he had meticulously prepared a dozen cauldrons just in case his planned detention didn't work. Unaware of the two flies that had followed them into the classroom, he instructed the third year Gryffindor, "Clean these cauldrons, and just so you know magic won't work on them."

"How am I supposed to clean them if magic doesn't work? I'm not a Muggle," Ron gave back stubbornly.

However, the professor ignored him completely and without another word left the room, unobtrusively waving his wand to cast a safety charm on the classroom in case the boy managed to hurt himself or damage the classroom. By the time he returned to the classroom nearly two hours later, the boy was fast asleep on the floor in front of the sink with the dirty cauldrons.

'_How dare the dunderhead_!' Severus thought angrily, and his cheeks turned uncharacteristically pink at the sight in front of him, before his expression changed into a smirk.

_tbc..._

_Thank you so much for your kind comments! Several readers asked me for Mrs. Weasley's reaction. Please be patient. You will be able to find out about her reaction soon._


	4. Ginny

**Digging his Own Grave**

**~ by Healer Pomfrey ~  
**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

_-----  
_

* * *

The Potions Master cast a warming spell at the boy in order to prevent him from catching a cold by sleeping on the cold stone floor of the Potions classroom, before he locked the classroom door with a flick of his wand and returned to his office, unaware of the two flies that once again took their seats on his shoulder.

"George, what are we going to do?" one fly asked the other as they returned to the bookshelf. "We need to go back to Gryffindor, but we can't have him give us a ride when he uses the Floo system. That would be our certain death."

"We can wait until he is gone and then transform and simply leave through the door," Fred replied thoughtfully.

"No, opening his door would certainly trigger an alarm, but we can call Dobby."

The twins decided to rely on the friendly elf, who brought them safely to Gryffindor and back into the Slytherin common room right in time for Christmas breakfast, so that they could observe their youngest brother grudgingly eat a bowl full of chicken broth, while the Slytherins and their Head of House enjoyed the delicacies that the house-elves had prepared for Christmas breakfast. Apart from Ron's whining, the meal was only disturbed by an owl carrying a red letter that began to shout at the Gryffindor boy in Ginny Weasley's voice.

_~ At Charlie's place in Romania ~_

Ginny lazily opened her eyes, realising that it was an owl that made the knocking sounds against the window. '_Oh thank Merlin_,' she thought. '_Why did I think that it was Professor Snape, knocking his wand against my cauldron?_' She quickly let the bird in. "Hedwig," she happily greeted the owl as she took the letter from the owl's foot. "Did Harry send me a letter?" She quickly opened the attached parchment, noticing that the letter was from Hermione.

"He did WHAT?" Ginny shouted, not even thinking about the matter that her parents and brothers might already be asleep. She had only gone to bed an hour ago, shortly before midnight on this snowy Christmas Eve in Romania. She quickly pulled three parchments and a quill out of her trunk and wrote a letter to her Head of House.

'_Dear Professor McGonagall,  
I just received a letter from Hermione informing me about my brother's stupidity. Can you please send me a Portkey quickly? I want to return to Hogwarts as soon as possible. Please, Professor! Thank you!  
Yours sincerely  
Ginny Weasley_'

She folded the letter and scribbled a short thank you note to Hermione on the next parchment, before she began to write to her brother.

'_RONALD WEASLEY!  
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU STUPID, JEALOUS GIT! TRYING TO MAKE YOUR BEST FRIEND ILL TO HAVE HIM BEING SENT BACK TO THAT HELLHOLE? AFTER ALL THAT HARRY DID FOR ME? DO YOU REMEMBER THAT HE SAVED MY LIFE JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, YOU EVIL, SELFISH GIT? YOU'RE NOT MY BROTHER ANYMORE! I HATE YOU!  
GINNY_'

She quickly packed her luggage into her trunk, before she headed into Charlie's living room, noticing in relief that her parents and brothers were still assembled.

"Mum, can you please turn this into a Howler," she said firmly, handing her mother the letter to Ron together with the parchment she had received from Hermione.

"A Howler?" Mr. Weasley queried in surprise, glancing over his wife's shoulder, only to add in disbelief, "Ron did that?"

"Apparently," Mrs. Weasley replied sternly, and Ginny noticed that her mother's cheeks turned into an angry red. "I can't believe it though. But well, I'll make you the Howler." She pointed her wand at the parchment, which changed into a red envelope. "However, we won't do anything else, until we hear anything official from Professor McGonagall."

"Mum, it's Hermione, who sent me the letter. She wouldn't write that if it wasn't true," Ginny said firmly and hurried back to her room to hand Hedwig the letters. "McGonagall probably wrote too, but she used a school owl, while Hermione asked you and told you to hurry. You're the best, Hedwig," she cooed, feeding the owl with a few owl treats and some water, before she asked her to once again hurry and give the letters to their recipients.

Hedwig gently nibbled her finger and took off into the cold night air. Ginny observed the owl fly into a north-west direction, until she couldn't make her out in the snow anymore. '_Why is Ron being so stupid? He has the two greatest friends I can imagine and the best family in the world_,' she thought as she headed back into the living room, where the whole family spent the night eagerly awaiting an official letter from Hogwarts.

"If he really did that, he will probably be expelled," Mr. Weasley said gravely.

"I should have remained at Hogwarts to keep an eye on him as his brother and as the Gryffindor prefect," Percy added.

"What could you have done? The twins are there as well, and I'm sure that they wouldn't intentionally make anyone sick. They didn't even do such a thing to frauds like Lockhardt," Ginny replied heatedly.

"Now now, Ginny. We still don't even know if it's true," Mrs. Weasley said soothingly. "Maybe Hermione misunderstood something, or…" She slowly trailed off.

"Molly," Mr. Weasley replied in a soft voice, sighing as he carefully laid his arm around his wife's back. "He cast more than a dozen freezing spells at Harry, who was sick with a cold, which caused him to come down with pneumonia. Hermione explained explicitly what happened. Why would the girl lie about such a thing, and considering that she is the most brilliant witch of Ron's year, there is nothing that she could have misunderstood."

Everyone's attention was diverted when Ginny suddenly pointed a wand at a small present, which turned into flames.

"Ginny, remember you're not allowed…"

"That was Charlie's wand," Ginny replied, smirking as she handed the wand back to her brother, who grinned and gently ruffled her hair.

"I see; I need to take better care of my belongings," he said jokingly, burying his wand deep in his robe pocket. "Now Ginny, tell me about Harry. To me he seems a very nice boy, a little shy maybe."

"He is so cool," Ginny began and babbled about her favourite Gryffindor boy until the knock of an owl's beak against the window diverted everyone's attention.

Everyone sprinted towards the window at the same time, before Mr. Weasley said in a firm voice, "Everyone sit down. I'll get the letter." With that he took the letter from the old barn owl and helped the bird to some owl treats and a small bowl of water, before he returned to his seat and slowly opened the letter.

"It is from Professor McGonagall," he said quickly, suddenly getting aware of the curious looks that were directed at him.

"Dear Molly and Arthur," he began to read aloud. The letter explained what they already knew. Only the end was different. "For the time being, we decided that Ronald should stay in Severus' care in Slytherin. As you might now, Severus, who is also the one looking after Mr. Potter due to Madam Pomfrey's absence, has not only a Healing degree but also absolved a psychological education and hopes to be able to find out why Ronald acted in this way and to possibly help him, provided that Ronald accepts help from him. The twins decided to utilise their Animagus form in order to spy on their brother and provide me with information, so that we know that he is doing all right and doesn't get into major fights with the Slytherins."

Mr. Weasley slowly let the letter sink. "It's only because they know us so well that they didn't expel Ron. I'm sure about that. I am sorry to spoil Christmas day, but I believe that we should pack and return to the Burrow as soon as we can get hold of a Portkey. I'll write back to Professor McGonagall and ask her if the Headmaster can provide us with one. That might be quicker than going through the Ministry, where nearly everyone is on holidays," he said thoughtfully.

"It's not you who is spoiling our Christmas," Ginny threw in, worriedly observing her mother's face that turned pinker by the second, before Mrs. Weasley finally opened her mouth.

_~ At Hogwarts ~_

In the Slytherin common room, the few students present listened with interest and amusement to Ginny's Howler shouting at Ron.

"Wow, that was Ginny Weasley?" Ben blurted out. "She is such a cutie and as funny as the twins, who are in my year. I wouldn't have thought that she'd be able to shout like that. You're stupid, Weasley; having such a cute sister and making her angry."

"Oh shut up," Ron gave back, splashing his spoon onto the plate, so that his chicken broth spread all over the table, before he took off towards his temporary dormitory.

The two flies on the wall chuckled when Professor Snape called their brother back in an icy voice. "Mr. Weasley, you will return here and clean up. I'll be back in twenty minutes and fetch you for your detention."

_tbc..._

_Thank you so much for your kind comments!_


	5. Professor McGonagall

**Digging his Own Grave**

**~ by Healer Pomfrey ~  
**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

_-----  
_

* * *

"How could Ronald do such a thing? What did I do wrong when I raised him? None of my other children have ever done anything so bad," Mrs. Weasley blurted out in disbelief.

"It's not your fault, Mum." Charlie was the first to reply. "I'm sure that you properly raised him. He is just being a git, and Ginny might be right when she says that Ron is jealous of Harry because of being rich and famous."

"But Harry doesn't even want all the attention," Ginny threw in. "Anyway, Mum, it's definitely not your fault, and everyone knows that."

Mrs. Weasley grunted something and stood up to write her own Howler to her youngest son.

'RONALD BILIOUS WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU PULL SUCH A STUNT? I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU DID THAT, ESPECIALLY TO HARRY, WHO IS SUCH A SWEET BOY AND IS SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR BEST FRIEND! I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU LEARNED SUCH THINGS. WE DEFINITELY DIDN'T RAISE YOU TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS. YOUR FATHER, YOUR SISTER, YOUR BROTHERS AND I ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED AND ASHAMED OF YOU! YOU CAN BE LUCKY THAT THEY FELT PITY WITH YOUR FATHER AND ME AND DIDN'T EXPEL YOU! ALSO DEEM YOURSELF LUCKY THAT THEY SENT YOU TO PROFESSOR SNAPE AND NOT TO ME! YOU WAIT UNTIL I GET HOLD OF YOU!'

After writing a letter to Professor McGonagall, Mrs. Weasley sent the school owl back to Hogwarts, instructing her to hurry. Afterwards, she made her way into the kitchen, deciding that the whole family didn't have to suffer just because her youngest son had seen fit to behave like an evil brat.

It was late in the evening when another owl arrived from Hogwarts, carrying another letter from the Deputy Headmistress to Mrs. Weasley and her daughter.

_Dear Molly, dear Ginevra,  
I suppose that Ms. Granger's or my letter concerning Ronald's behaviour has reached you by now and that this is the reason why Ginevra asked me for a Portkey. Since I am not sure if she wants to travel alone or if you all prefer to return home, I asked Albus to make a Portkey from this parchment, which should be large enough for everyone to hold on. The activation code is 'Gryffindor Christmas'. Please let me reassure you though that it is not necessary for you to return because of the events at Hogwarts. Ronald is in good hands with Professor Snape. Your twins are using their holidays to practise spying on the Slytherins in their Animagus forms, which I have exceptionally been allowing, and Harry's condition is slowly improving. Just for your information, Professor Snape, Ms. Granger and I, who are taking care of Harry, have decided to only inform him about what happened when his condition improves greatly, which will surely still take a few more days.  
Minerva McGonagall'_

_~ At Hogwarts ~_

Professor McGonagall observed in concern how her youngest colleague carefully spelled a nutrient potion into her little lion's stomach and spoke to the boy in a quiet voice, before he straightened and turned to her.

"Minerva, his right lung sounds a little bit better and his fever came down a degree. The left side is still quite bad though. Please try to make him drink as much as possible. He is still dehydrated, and if that doesn't improve, I'll have to connect him to an I.V."

He glanced around and, seeing that Hermione and the twins were sitting on Ron's bed, talking quietly, he continued in a lower voice, "I talked with Albus this afternoon, and I showed him my memory of Mr. Weasley's explanation about Mr. Potter's family. I also told him about Mr. Potter's nightmares and asked him to consider revoking the guardianship from the Dursleys, but I think he'll be more willing to listen if this comes from you as his Head of House.

Minerva jumped up from her seat. "I'll go and speak with Albus right away. Ms. Granger and the twins are here…"

"… and Mr. Potter will be fast asleep in less than two minutes anyway," the Potions Master added, smirking.

Minerva quickly informed her students and walked down to the common room to take the Floo to the Headmaster's office.

"Ah, Minerva, how nice of you to visit an old man," Dumbledore greeted her, offering her a lemon drop.

"Albus," Minerva sighed, "how old do you have to become, before you understand that I absolutely detest lemon drops?"

The Headmaster grinned. "Old habits die hard, my dear. You know that. Now tell me, how is Harry doing?"

"He is a tiny bit better if I understood Severus correctly. Albus, in fact I came to speak with you about Harry. Severus showed you his memory I assume. I observed the boy beg his uncle not to hurt him at least two dozen times during the last twenty-four hours. The Dursleys do not only neglect him; they also abuse him. Albus, please let one of us gain the guardianship over him. I don't mind if it's Severus, you or Pomona, but please take him away from there and allow him to remain at Hogwarts."

The Headmaster thoughtfully sucked on his lemon drop. "Harry never said anything about it," he said slowly.

"Abused children normally don't speak about the abuse. Look at Severus," Minerva replied firmly.

"Severus," Albus repeated pensively. "Very well, Minerva; if and only if Severus is willing to become Harry's guardian, I will allow it."

Minerva turned to the fireplace; however, before she could call out Severus' name, the Weasleys arrived behind her with their Portkey and she found herself being pulled into Molly Weasley's arms.

"Minerva, I'm so sorry," Molly sobbed. "I can't understand how Ronald could behave like that."

"It's not your fault, Molly," Dumbledore said gently, motioning for his guests to take seats.

Minerva turned to the fireplace and finally called Severus, whom she could hardly understand, because Mrs. Weasley's yells just sounded through the dungeons.

"Your son seems to have received your Howler, Molly," the Headmaster said dryly.

"He fully deserved it," Percy threw in, looking appreciatively at his mother.

An instant later, the Slytherin Head graciously stepped out of the fireplace together with an anxious looking Ronald.

Mrs. Weasley took a deep breath, before she opened her mouth; however, Mr. Weasley was faster. "Now Molly, I believe that Ronald already heard what you wanted to tell him. Now it's my turn. Ronald, we can't leave you here at Hogwarts. Harry wouldn't be able to trust you and live together in the same dormitory for another four and a half years."

"Now now, Arthur," Dumbledore threw in. "We can ask Harry if he was all right if we made Ronald swear a wizard's oath that he won't harm him again."

"Knowing how kind Harry is, he'll surely be all right with that," Minerva agreed immediately.

"I don't want Harry's kindness; I'd rather go to Durmstrang or anywhere else," Ron suddenly shouted. "Harry, Harry, Harry. I've enough of that."

"Ronald, behave yourself!" Mrs. Weasley said sharply. "Otherwise, we'll send you to the Dursleys for a while."

"There is still another possibility," Dumbledore threw in pensively. "We could ask the Sorting Hat to re-sort Ronald."

Ron and his parents agreed, and Minerva fetched the Sorting Hat from the shelf and placed it on the boy's head.

The Hat moved his cramp around a few times, before he said in an upset voice, "What do you want me to do with him? I already sorted him into Gryffindor, and he doesn't fit anywhere else. He is not worth of Hufflepuff, too stupid for Ravenclaw and not cunning enough for Slytherin. He'll always be a reckless, stupid Gryffindor!"

"Now Sopho, behave yourself," Dumbledore slightly admonished the Hat, before he turned to Ron. "Mr. Weasley, may I suggest that you postpone your decision to the day, on which Professors McGonagall and Snape have spoken with Harry and asked him for his opinion?"

"No!" Ron shouted, fiercely shaking his head.

"We will wait for Harry's decision," Mr. Weasley decided. "Severus, I know that my son is very stubborn, but I'm sure you're the best to teach him better behaviour. Thank you for taking him into your House for the holidays."

Severus slightly inclined his head and motioned for Ron to follow him back to the fireplace.

"Oh and Severus, by the way, we want to ask you to become Harry's new guardian," Minerva remembered to inform her colleague, just before the green flames engulfed him and the lion in his care.

_tbc..._

_Thank you so much for your kind comments!_


	6. Harry

**Digging his Own Grave**

**~ by Healer Pomfrey ~  
**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

_-----  
_

* * *

When Harry woke up a few days later, he registered with surprise that instead of the Potions Master, who normally was at his side whenever he opened his eyes, his Head of House was sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Good morning, Harry," Minerva greeted him, smiling. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit better I think," Harry replied, noticing that he still felt very dizzy, but his chest wasn't as sore anymore.

"Well, then let me check your temperature. I'm sorry, but Professor Snape is not here this morning, and I can only check on you with Muggle methods," the Gryffindor Head explained, coaxing a thermometer under his tongue. While they waited for the reading to register, Minerva spoke to Harry in a quiet, soft voice. "Professor Snape has gone to the Dursleys to get their signature on the guardianship parchments and to the Ministry of Magic in order to gain the guardianship over you."

Harry threw the professor a shocked look. '_Professor Snape my guardian? Never back to the Dursleys?_' he thought hopefully. He nearly chocked in surprise, ending up in a huge coughing fit.

"I'm sorry, Professor," he mumbled in exhaustion as he lay back and the teacher once more stuck the thermometer into his mouth.

"It's not your fault, Harry," Minerva replied softly and began to gently wipe his hot face with a cold cloth. Only when she finally pulled the thermometer out, frowning at the still high fever, she asked, "I assume that you appreciate our decision? We should have asked you, but you didn't have a choice. Professor Dumbledore only allowed us to take you away from your relatives if Professor Snape became your guardian."

"Thank you so much, Professor. I appreciate it greatly," Harry replied in excitement. "But doesn't Professor Snape mind? He hates me, although I must say that he has been really nice during the last few days."

"He doesn't hate you, Harry. In fact, your mother was his best friend, and he also has experience with abuse. Therefore, we believe that he will be a good guardian for you. He'll be able to help you more than anyone else could."

"That's fantastic," Harry replied, coughing again. "Thank you so much, Professor, for talking the Headmaster into this."

"You're welcome, sweetie," the teacher replied, smiling.

"Where are Hermione and Ron?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Ah, they're doing something, but they'll surely be back soon," Minerva replied diplomatically, knowing that Harry was still too ill to hear the disturbing news. "Now Harry, let me help you to sit up, so that you can take your potions." She gently steadied his back and made him drink everything that Professor Snape had prescribed, causing Harry to drift off to sleep within seconds.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

It was a week later, in the morning of the day, on which the students were going to come back to Hogwarts, that Professor Snape allowed Harry out of bed for half an hour to have breakfast with Minerva, Hermione and the twins in the Gryffindor common room.

"Harry, there is something we have to tell you," Minerva hesitantly began to tell Harry what his assumed to be best friend had done to him.

Harry remained speechless for a few minutes after his Head of House had finished her explanation. "Is that true?" he then asked in disbelief, letting out a deep sigh as he saw Hermione and the twins nod with grave expressions on their faces.

"Harry, at the moment, we're at a loss what to do with Mr. Weasley," Minerva continued. "His parents are considering sending him to Durmstrang, but admittedly it would be quite inconvenient for them."

"Ron can stay here. I don't mind, provided that he promises not to do such a stunt again," Harry said quickly. "It's all right, and it would really be inconvenient for the Weasleys to send him to a different school than anyone else."

"Harrykins, are you sure?"

"Ronald is a jealous git," the twins said, throwing him questioning looks.

"Yes, I am sure," Harry said firmly. "Where is he?"

"He has spent the whole holidays in Slytherin…"

"… You won't believe how much fun we had spying on him in our fly forms."

Harry couldn't help chuckling at the thought, although his chuckle quickly turned into a coughing fit.

"Well then I'm going to call Professor Snape and Mr. Weasley," Minerva said firmly and stepped to the fireplace.

Shortly later, the Potions Master and the third year redhead stepped out of the fireplace.

"Weasley, take a seat," Severus instructed the boy, who only after a sharp look from the Potions Master hesitantly complied.

"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter has agreed that you may remain at Hogwarts, provided that you promise not to hurt him again," the Gryffindor Head said firmly.

"I don't want to stay here because Harry Bloody Potter allows it," Ron replied angrily. "I'd prefer to go somewhere else."

"Ron," Harry threw in softly.

"Shut up. I'm not going to rely on other people's kindness," Ron hissed, glaring at his former best friend.

Harry let out a long sigh. '_He was my very first friend, and since Professor Snape's efforts didn't have any effect what so ever, it'll be better for everyone if he forgets about the whole matter and if we continue as if these whole holidays didn't happen at all_,' he thought and in front of everyone else waved his wand at the other boy, whispering, "Obliviate."

An instant later, Ron rubbed his eyes in confusion as he glanced around and asked, "What happened?"

"Nothing," Hermione said firmly. "We're just having breakfast for the last time in the common room. Tonight, everyone else is going to come back."

"Ah, all right. I'm still half asleep. I can't remember anything about these holidays," Ron said but dismissed the matter as food appeared on the table. "Why is Snape here though?" he queried, his mouth full with toast.

"Professor Snape is here, because he is Harry's new guardian and came to check on him," Minerva replied softly. "And considering that Harry seems to be feeling quite unwell, I'd suggest that you take him with you to your quarters for the time being."

Harry threw his Head of House a grateful look, flinching back badly when his new guardian's ice cold hand found its way to his forehead.

"I believe Professor McGonagall is right, Harry. Let's go home," Severus said in a soft voice that held no malice. A few minutes and a short Floo travel later, he gently tucked Harry into his own bed in his new room in the dungeons. "Harry, I believe that was a wise decision. We won't be able to change Mr. Weasley. However, don't forget that you have your own room here at Hogwarts now. You can stay here whenever you want, and I expect you to come here at least if you're sick or feeling unwell."

"Thank you so much, Professor," Harry replied gratefully. Feeling very happy, he let out a relieved sigh as he leaned into his guardian's cool touch. '_I'm so happy to have a new home and a caring guardian. Now Ron really has a reason to be jealous_.'

_tbc..._

_Thank you so much for your kind comments! Originally, I wanted to end the story here. However, seeing that you seem to want Ron being punished, I decided to add an epilogue..._


	7. Epilogue

**Digging his Own Grave**

**~ by Healer Pomfrey ~  
**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

_-----  
_

* * *

**Epilogue**

The next few months passed uneventfully. Apparently, Ron didn't remember anything about the winter holidays, and even if Harry and Hermione couldn't trust him as much as before, Ron didn't notice their slightly distant behaviour. Harry realised in relief that the two of them went back to their usual bickering about Crookshanks and Scabbers as if nothing had happened. He often spent the weekends at home with his new guardian, glad to get away from Gryffindor and having to pretend being Ron's best friend.

On one Sunday morning in March, Harry said to Severus, "Maybe it was wrong to obliviate him. If he knew what happened, I wouldn't have to feign being his friend."

Severus gave him a sharp look, before he said in a soft voice, "I do think that it was wrong. You should have asked Professor McGonagall or me for advice beforehand."

"I'm sorry," Harry said dully, causing the professor to step in front of him and reach out with his forefinger to gently pull the boy's chin upwards until their eyes met.

"Harry, there is no need to be sorry. You were a bit too impulsive; however, it was your decision, and believe me if I tell you that your mother, who was the kindest witch I ever met, would have reacted in exactly the same way."

"Really?" Harry's eyes began to twinkle with excitement.

"Really," Severus replied dryly. "One day, I'll tell you more about your mother. I knew her very well. She was my best friend from when we were three years old."

During the following weeks, Harry spent every weekend at home, and Severus did not only use the opportunity to teach his ward the fine art of brewing potions, but he also told Harry about Lily, whom he still missed dearly.

HP

It was at the end of May that Harry once again caught a cold. At first, he decided to ignore the matter, knowing that it would eventually go away on its own; however, when Hermione heard him cough and saw that his eyes were glazed over, she felt his forehead and let out a gasp. "Harry, go home and tell Professor Snape that you're sick," she said sternly.

"It's all right. It's only a cold," Harry replied, feeling very uncomfortable at the attention.

"I don't think it's a cold. You feel very warm to the touch, and whatever it is you don't want to get pneumonia again," Hermione insisted, glancing at Ron.

"Why can't he go to Pomfrey like everyone else who doesn't have a Daddy here at school?" Ron sneered, "And when did Harry catch pneumonia?" He remained thoughtful for an instant, while Hermione and Harry quietly continued their discussion, before he said, "There was something, but I can't remember exactly…"

"Now Harry, let's go," Hermione said firmly. "Or do you want me to fetch Professor McGonagall here into the common room?"

"No," Harry replied, terrified at the thought, and slowly followed the girl out of the common room, oblivious to the expression of horror that was spreading over Ron's face.

HP

While Severus kept Harry in bed for two days and nursed him back to health from his respiratory tract infection, Ron developed an as he thought very clever plan to get his revenge on his supposed to be best friend, who had dared obliviating him a few months ago.

It was a few days after Harry's recovery, when the trio made its way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, that Ron remained behind for an instant and quickly pulled his wand, casting a tripling spell at Harry.

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked as the boy fell down the remaining two dozen steps only to hit the stone floor head first. Horrified, she ran down, kneeling beside the boy. "Harry, are you all right?" she asked in panic.

"My head," Harry groaned, gripping his head in pain.

All of a sudden, the twins appeared seemingly out of nothing. "Don't move him. We're going to fetch Pomfrey and Snape," they told Hermione, glaring at their brother, who stood motionless next to the girl with an indifferent expression on his face.

Unbeknownst to the third years, the twins had a deal with Professor Snape. The professor provided them with supervision, assistance and necessary ingredients for their prank potion experiments, while they spied on Harry and their brother whenever they could in turn. Just like every other morning during the last months, except for the days that Harry had spent in his guardian's quarters, they had followed the trio downstairs and had seen what happened.

Severus and Poppy diagnosed that Harry had a bad concussion from the hard impact and decided that it would be the safest for him to stay in his own room in Severus' quarters for the time being. While they settled the boy into bed, the Headmaster cancelled all Potions and Transfiguration classes for the morning and called Minerva, Hermione, the twins, Ron and Mrs. Weasley into Severus' living room.

When Poppy and Severus emerged from Harry's room, Severus looked murderous. "Mr. Weasley, that was your second attempt to kill Mr. Potter. Do you know what the punishment for attempted murder is?" He quirked an eyebrow.

Ron showed no reaction instead of boldly looking at the Potions Master.

"Mr. Weasley, Professor Snape asked you something," Minerva snapped. "Just for your information, the answer is a one-way ticket to Azkaban."

Ron looked at his Head of House in shock. That was something he hadn't considered.

"Now now Molly," Dumbledore said soothingly as Mrs. Weasley began to cry. "I am sure Professor Snape will not insist on sending Ronald to Azkaban. However, I trust that you agree that we have to snap his wand. He will not be allowed to do magic anymore."

"I understand. Thank you, Albus," Mrs. Weasley said, nodding gratefully.

"Hand over your wand," Severus said sternly, holding out his hand to Ron.

"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley shouted. "You know what you have to do, you stupid boy. Now you can go and look for something to do in the Muggle world."

Ron merely shrugged and handed over his wand to the Potions Master, who immediately snapped it into two pieces.

"Maybe we can find a solution for Ronald like Albus did for Hagrid so many years ago," Minerva said softly, taking pity on Mrs. Weasley, who had been a fellow member of the Order of the Phoenix for many years. "Albus, what do you think? Could Mr. Weasley perhaps become Mr. Filch's assistant?"

"I could use an assistant as well," Madam Pomfrey spoke up hesitantly, "of course only if Harry agrees."

Severus rolled his eyes. "That boy agrees to everything. He is much too nice for his own good," he sneered. "Apart from that, with Weasley as your assistant Harry will never ever set a foot into the hospital wing again. If he needs you for some reason, you'll have to come here."

"I already did today, didn't I?" Pomfrey smiled and rose from her seat to go and check on Harry.

"Thank you so much, Poppy," Molly Weasley sobbed. "Thank you, Severus, Minerva, Albus. It means a lot to me to know that Ron doesn't have to go to Azkaban for what he did."

'_I wonder if being Pomfrey's assistant is so much better than a stay in Azkaban_,' Ron thought, feeling very sorry for himself.

**The End**

_Thank you so much for your kind support throughout this story!_


End file.
